Millers River
Location - Irving, MA
Difficulty - Class II-IIII (IV) Length - 8 miles
Level - 1,000 cfs (in pictures)
Date - 1996
Difficulty - Class II-IIII (IV) Length - 8 miles
Level - 1,000 cfs (in pictures)
Date - 1996
The Millers River is one of the larger whitewater rivers in the
state and it offers a great deal of rapids that can be run at a
variety of water levels. Low water produces straightforward
class II-III rapids with one larger drop, while higher flows
produce some of the biggest water to be found in southern
New England. Like the depressed mill towns found throughout
its valley, the heyday of paddling on the Millers has passed as
boat design and skill level has sent most paddlers in search of
steeper and wilder waters. What was once considered a
staple for New England’s best boaters is now mainly run by
intermediates kayakers and rafts from several local
companies.
While there are no park and play spots or steep class V
drops, the run does offer a great range of intermediate rapids
that can be quite exciting at high water and at low water the
river makes for great canoeing. Despite the fact that the
Millers runs through several villages and towns and is followed
closely by a main road, it is surprisingly scenic and the larger
drops are far from the hustle and bustle of the highway at the
bottom of a forested valley.
Although the Millers has been tamed by the creation of a large
flood control dam in its headwaters, the run is largely free
flowing and generally only has enough water to paddle from
the middle of March through the end of April and occasionally
into May. I ran the Millers for the first time early during my
second year of kayaking and found the river to be a great
change from the runs I had been focusing on. The first half of
the day went great as we made our way through the shallow
class II rapids of the upper run before reaching the inner
valley that held the larger rapids of the trip. I paddled well and
felt confident as I scouted the biggest rapid on the run, the
Funnel, which at low water is a rock drop narrowing into a
powerful jet of water at the bottom featuring a fun ender spot.
My run through the Funnel seemed to be going well, but I
ended up flipping and was psyched to pull off a combat roll
even after bumping my head for the first time.
Back in the day enders and pop ups were still considered
pretty hot moves and I remember spending almost an hour
below the Funnel driving the bow of my Crossfire into pour
overs at the bottom of the drop. It was cold out, but it was also
a blast. At the time I had no idea how much kayaking was
about to change over the next 5 years.
state and it offers a great deal of rapids that can be run at a
variety of water levels. Low water produces straightforward
class II-III rapids with one larger drop, while higher flows
produce some of the biggest water to be found in southern
New England. Like the depressed mill towns found throughout
its valley, the heyday of paddling on the Millers has passed as
boat design and skill level has sent most paddlers in search of
steeper and wilder waters. What was once considered a
staple for New England’s best boaters is now mainly run by
intermediates kayakers and rafts from several local
companies.
While there are no park and play spots or steep class V
drops, the run does offer a great range of intermediate rapids
that can be quite exciting at high water and at low water the
river makes for great canoeing. Despite the fact that the
Millers runs through several villages and towns and is followed
closely by a main road, it is surprisingly scenic and the larger
drops are far from the hustle and bustle of the highway at the
bottom of a forested valley.
Although the Millers has been tamed by the creation of a large
flood control dam in its headwaters, the run is largely free
flowing and generally only has enough water to paddle from
the middle of March through the end of April and occasionally
into May. I ran the Millers for the first time early during my
second year of kayaking and found the river to be a great
change from the runs I had been focusing on. The first half of
the day went great as we made our way through the shallow
class II rapids of the upper run before reaching the inner
valley that held the larger rapids of the trip. I paddled well and
felt confident as I scouted the biggest rapid on the run, the
Funnel, which at low water is a rock drop narrowing into a
powerful jet of water at the bottom featuring a fun ender spot.
My run through the Funnel seemed to be going well, but I
ended up flipping and was psyched to pull off a combat roll
even after bumping my head for the first time.
Back in the day enders and pop ups were still considered
pretty hot moves and I remember spending almost an hour
below the Funnel driving the bow of my Crossfire into pour
overs at the bottom of the drop. It was cold out, but it was also
a blast. At the time I had no idea how much kayaking was
about to change over the next 5 years.
It was several years later until I returned to the Millers as a
raft guide and in a tandem canoe with my dad. Runs in
canoes are best at low water, but from a rafting perspective
more water makes for a much more exciting day. As flows inch
above six feet the run gets to be big, complete with large
holes and truly massive waves. The Funnel at high water
becomes truly impressive with a series of big waves building
into a couple of giant laterals followed by a long and powerful
wave train. High water rafting is always exciting with one
memorable trip flipping almost every raft on the trip. The river
moves very quickly below this rapid and picking up swimmers
can often be difficult, especially when boats start flipping.
At lower flows, like those seen in the pictures on this trip
report, the main challenge comes from a couple of large
boulders sticking out of the water near the end of the rapid.
When the river is booming along at high water these rocks
are well underwater and the big waves start to form by the
compressing, or funneling, of the river that happens here.
After the Funnel the Millers briefly mellows before continuing
through a long stretch of easy rapids with big waves that
carries paddlers into and through the town of Millers Falls.
Some railroad debris lurks under the bridges in town along
with a couple of great waves at the right levels. A possible
take out is available here, but it really makes more sense to
paddle the remaining mile or two down to the confluence with
the Connecticut River where a dead end road provides a bit
of privacy for changing and hanging out after the run.
Below the town a few more rapids are found and one final
ledge that creates a large and interesting hydraulic that
makes a great surfing spot for rafts at certain levels. Strainers
are often common in this lower reach as the river spreads out
and paddlers should pay attention for dangerous wood,
although the river is wide open and visibility if generally great.
In some ways the Millers, with its long season, big flows, and
interesting rapids, is a forgotten classic that eager boaters
drive past on their way to the creeks or playspots that come
on when the water flows in New England. That is not to say
that the river is no longer worth paddling. A lot of whitewater
can still be found down on the Millers and today's smaller
playboats would probably find possibilities in places that
would have been overlooked ten or twenty years ago. Runs
like the Millers are part of New England's boating heritage and
one that is worth checking out if you find yourself in the area
when it has good flows.
raft guide and in a tandem canoe with my dad. Runs in
canoes are best at low water, but from a rafting perspective
more water makes for a much more exciting day. As flows inch
above six feet the run gets to be big, complete with large
holes and truly massive waves. The Funnel at high water
becomes truly impressive with a series of big waves building
into a couple of giant laterals followed by a long and powerful
wave train. High water rafting is always exciting with one
memorable trip flipping almost every raft on the trip. The river
moves very quickly below this rapid and picking up swimmers
can often be difficult, especially when boats start flipping.
At lower flows, like those seen in the pictures on this trip
report, the main challenge comes from a couple of large
boulders sticking out of the water near the end of the rapid.
When the river is booming along at high water these rocks
are well underwater and the big waves start to form by the
compressing, or funneling, of the river that happens here.
After the Funnel the Millers briefly mellows before continuing
through a long stretch of easy rapids with big waves that
carries paddlers into and through the town of Millers Falls.
Some railroad debris lurks under the bridges in town along
with a couple of great waves at the right levels. A possible
take out is available here, but it really makes more sense to
paddle the remaining mile or two down to the confluence with
the Connecticut River where a dead end road provides a bit
of privacy for changing and hanging out after the run.
Below the town a few more rapids are found and one final
ledge that creates a large and interesting hydraulic that
makes a great surfing spot for rafts at certain levels. Strainers
are often common in this lower reach as the river spreads out
and paddlers should pay attention for dangerous wood,
although the river is wide open and visibility if generally great.
In some ways the Millers, with its long season, big flows, and
interesting rapids, is a forgotten classic that eager boaters
drive past on their way to the creeks or playspots that come
on when the water flows in New England. That is not to say
that the river is no longer worth paddling. A lot of whitewater
can still be found down on the Millers and today's smaller
playboats would probably find possibilities in places that
would have been overlooked ten or twenty years ago. Runs
like the Millers are part of New England's boating heritage and
one that is worth checking out if you find yourself in the area
when it has good flows.